Think of some of the hottest celebs. Beyoncè, The Kardashians, Scarlett Johanson, Jessica Alba, Nykee Heaton… All of these fierce ladies have one thing in common: they are avid waist-trainers. From the gym to their beds, these ladies go roughly 10 hours a day wearing the corset. While getting that perfect Kardashian hourglass figure seems a little far-fetched for the everyday woman, waist training has become a new phenomenon among women of all ages. In the midst of researching this topic, I was bombarded with numerous biased articles, some claiming waist training will forever damage your organs and others saying that they are perfectly healthy. So, which is it? Is waist training a trend that we should embrace or eradicate?
Pros:
One of the undisputed pros of waist training is that they significantly improve posture because while you are wearing the cincher you must sit straight. While this might be slightly uncomfortable, these corsets do wonders for slouchers.
Additionally, waist trainers aid in weight loss because you cannot stuff yourself while being squeezed into a corset. You can also wear them underneath clothing, enabling you to shape your body without sacrificing your social life.
Most waist trainers are made of out spandex, so initially you will lose a lot of water weight. Essentially, these waist cinchers are a way to “train your waist” by slimming down targeted areas without working out. However, you will not see the true “hourglass” results unless you make this an everyday habit and stay patient.
Lastly, and possibly the most important pro, is that waist trainers make women feel confident and sexy. If you have the motivation to wear these corsets every day and slowly add them into your daily regime, you will undeniably see results. For the woman who has always struggled with her stomach no matter how many hours spent at the gym or desserts passed on, is that such a bad thing?
Cons:
First off, let’s keep in mind the ages of the celebs using waist trainers. Most of these women range from age the early 30s to late 40s. These are not 20-year-old college students who are struggling with growing and maturing into their natural figure. Choosing to use a waist trainer is a life decision; do not rush it until your body has fully stopped growing and you’ve consulted a doctor.
If you decide to start waist training, be careful which kind you get. You can find a waist trainer off of Amazon for less than $20, but these corsets are not to be trusted. In order to see true results and slim down in a safe manor, you’re looking at spending roughly $80 on a trusted cincher.
While you may see results in your figure, waist training is not necessarily the healthiest way to achieve that 36-24-36 figure. Listen to the professionals. In an interview posted by the Daily Burn, Dr. Stephen D. Ball, Ph.D. and Associate Professor of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri states, “If you want to lose body fat, you’re going to do that through aerobic exercise and a sensible diet. You’re not ever going to be able to target where you lose fat from.”
Women’s Health Magazine posted a similar article and discussed waist training with clinical professor of ob-gyn at the Yale School of Medicine Dr. Mary Jane Minkin. Minkin claims “Medically, it doesn’t make sense that cinching your waist tightly will make it permanently smaller. Once you take the garment off, your body will return to its usual shape. It’s also uncomfortable, restricts your movements, and if you wear it really tight, it can even make it difficult to breathe and theoretically could cause rib damage.”
Let’s be honest: no matter how many cons we hear, we are still going to do what we have to do in order to feel confidence, sexy, and all around good about our bodies. In a society where images of Kim K’s outrageous hourglass figure is shoved down our throats, it is no wonder women of all shapes and sizes feel dissatisfied when they look in a mirror. At the end of the day, if waist training is something you want to try, make sure you take baby-steps and integrate it into your life in as healthy of a way as possible. But bear in mind, these curvaceous celebrities have endless amounts of money and professionals to help them achieve their figures; you will not wake up one morning and have the body of Marilyn Monroe. You are born with the body you got, so learn to love it and make the best of it!